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DMI involvement bared in parliament

Published

7 months ago

2025/08/1

Prez urged to remove Maj. Gen. Jayasekera from Defence Ministry

The SJB has called for an investigation into Deputy Defence Minister Maj. Gen. (retd.) Aruna Jayasekera’s declaration in Parliament that a small group within the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) was involved in 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

Maj. Gen. Jayasekera, who was the Eastern Commander at the time of Easter Sunday carnage and subsequent blasts at Sainthamaruthu in the East also in April 2019, should come clean, top SJB spokesman Mujibur Rahman told The Island.

Rahman asserted that the Deputy Defence Minister’s declaration could be considered as the much anticipated breakthrough the NPP government expected. “We expect the CID to question the Deputy Minister on his claim,” Colombo District lawmaker said.

When The Island pointed out that accusations had been made against the DMI as well as one of its former heads the then Brigadier Suresh Sally regarding Easter Sunday carnage, MP Rahman emphasised that the latest allegation was made by a fellow retired senior officer who had served as the most senior officer in the East at that time extremists planned the attacks.

The government proscribed the National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ) over the Easter carnage.

Pointing out that during the initial investigations the CID recorded Maj. Gen. Jayasekera’s statement regarding the Sainathamaruthu incident where 16 persons perished on April 26, 2019, lawmaker Rahman urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who holds the defence portfolio in addition to being the Commander-in-Chief of armed forces to move Maj. Gen. Jayasekera out of the Defence Ministry. “Let the Maj. Gen. be shifted to facilitate the investigation,” MP Rahman said, warning the NPP of dire consequences of its failure to restore public faith in the investigation.

Maj. Gen. Jayasekera of the Gemunu Watch served as Eastern Commander from Nov 24, 2018 to Oct. 14, 2019. Jayasekera retired four days later.

The CID would it difficult to probe the retired officer as long as he served as the Deputy Defence Minister, the MP said, adding that since the last presidential election conducted in Sept 2024, Jayasekera on six occasions functioned as the Acting Defence Minister during President Dissanayake’s foreign visits.

If Maj. Gen. Jayaskera hadn’t told the CID of the alleged DMI link to Easter Sunday carnage when he was questioned in 2019, it would be of pivotal importance to establish actually when got to know about the conspiracy, MP Rahman said.

The NPP accommodated Maj. Gen. Jayasekera on its National List in recognition for his contribution to their parliamentary and presidential election campaigns last year.

MP Rahman said that retired Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne and retired SSP Shani Abeysekera who had been assigned to the CID at the time of Easter Sunday carnage were brought back by the NPP to serve as Secretary Public Security Ministry and Director, CID, respectively.

Recalling Leader of the House Minister Bimal Rathnayake disclosed that they were brought back on a request made by the Archbishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, a claim swiftly denied by the Catholic Church, MP Rahman questioned whether lapses on the part of Seneviratne and Abeysekera, too, contributed to the overall security failure. Like Jayasekera, Senevirathna and Abeysekera, too, campaigned for the NPP, the SJB spokesman said.

Referring to a recent statement attributed to Rev. Cyril Gamini Fernando, the spokesman for the Catholic Church, lawmaker Rahman said that the priest is on record as having said that Maj. Gen. Jayasekera’s continuation as the Deputy Defence Minister could undermine the credibility of the investigations. The Church has expressed the belief that the government makes an appropriate decision on the issue at hand.

Lawmaker Rahman said that the NPP was yet to explain the circumstances how JVP National List nominee at the 2015 parliamentary elections wealthy spice merchant Mohamed Yusuf Ibrahim’s two sons turned out to be NTJ suicide bombers. One of them attacked Cinnamon Grand while the other blasted himself alongside alleged ringleader Sahran Hashim at Shangri-la.MP Rahman said that the NPP was in a bind. The top leadership was obviously struggling to cope up with the situation as difficulties mount on the other fronts, the MP said.

By Shamindra Ferdinando ✍️

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Prime Minister on official visit to Manila, Philippines

Published

1 hour ago

2026/03/9

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed for Manila, Philippines, at midnight on 8 March on an official visit at the invitation of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), where she will participate in events marking International Women’s Day.

Upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila, the Prime Minister was welcomed by Dr. Chanaka Thalpahewa, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Philippines, along with officials of the Government of the Philippines and representatives of the Asian Development Bank.

During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the International Women’s Day event hosted at the ADB Headquarters in Manila.

On the sidelines of the event, the Prime Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with several Ministers of the Government of the Philippines to further strengthen cooperation and bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and the Philippines in areas of mutual interest.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

News

It is the government’s responsibility to ensure women’s rights are realized in everyday Life, and are not confined merely to Laws – PM

Published

1 hour ago

2026/03/9

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the political, economic, and social rights of women are not confined merely to laws or written documents, but are realized as a reality in the daily lives of every woman in the country.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating as the Chief Guest at the National Celebration of International Women’s Day 2026, held on March 8 at the Rabindranath Tagore Memorial Auditorium of the University of Ruhuna in Matara under the theme “The Pride of a Prosperous Country – She is the Nation’s Path Forward.”

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister further stated:

“The freedoms we enjoy today including the right to education and political rights were won through the struggles carried out by women throughout history. This day is not merely confined to flowers. Our goal is to safeguard those rights and create an environment where every woman in our country can lead her life towards a better future.

The products of women entrepreneurs in this country should not remain confined to their local areas. The government is working to create an environment to ensure that they become active contributors to the national economy.

At the same time, a proposal has recently been presented by the Parliamentary Women’s Caucus to introduce a National Care Policy in order to recognize both the paid and unpaid contributions made by women for their families and for the country’s economy.

The Prime Minister also emphasized that women have a significant responsibility to stand for humanity in the face of the various crises occurring around the world. She called upon the women of the country to unite with compassion and take the lead in raising their voices for peace.

Addressing the event, Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj stated that a new era has dawned in which the tears and sweat shed by women working abroad to strengthen the country’s foreign reserves will receive due recognition. She further noted that a comprehensive mechanism involving all ministries will be implemented to support women entrepreneurs, female heads of households, and women who have experienced violence.

At this national event, the Prime Minister also presented appreciation awards to 25 successful women entrepreneurs from across the island.

The occasion was attended by the Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunneththi, Southern Province Governor Prof. Susiripala Manawadu, Deputy Ministers including Dr. Namal Sudarshana, along with ambassadors, public representatives, and a large number of participants.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

Latest News

India offered sanctuary to Iranian ship three days before US sank it

Published

1 hour ago

2026/03/9

Priyan

Iranian warship Iris Dena sank after being hit by a US submarine on 4 March [BBC]

The Iranian warship Iris Dena was given permission by India to dock three days before it was torpedoed by a US submarine, India has said.

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said Iran had sought permission for three of its ships to dock at Indian ports on 28 February – the day the US and Israel began a war on Iran – and permission was granted by India on 1 March.

The ships’ movements between 1 and 4 March are not clear and nor is why only one of them made it to India.

The sinking of the Iris Dena, with 130 sailors on board, in international waters off Sri Lanka’s southern coast on 4 March marked a dramatic widening of the war – and raised questions about India’s authority in its backyard.

It was the first military strike outside the Middle East since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran. President Donald Trump has said destroying Iran’s navy is one aim of the assault.

The three Iranian ships – Iris Dena, Iris Bushehr and Iris Lavan – had all participated in a military exercise hosted by India between 15 and 25 February in the coastal city of Visakhapatnam.

They left Indian waters on 25 February and were likely to have been in international waters on 28 February – when the US and Israel began attacking Iran.

“The Iranian side had requested permission on 28 February for three ships in the region to dock at our ports. This was accorded on 1 March,” Jaishankar told parliament on Monday. “Iris Lavan actually docked on 4 March in Kochi. The crew is currently in Indian naval facilities. We believe that this was the right thing to do.”